Ukrainian refugees should be encouraged to work or return home – Scholz

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for encouraging unemployed Ukrainian refugees in Germany to find jobs or return to Ukraine.

As reported by ntv, Germany must ensure that as many Ukrainians and other refugees as possible seek employment after completing language courses and other integration measures, Scholz stated.

"Too many of them have been here for so long that it’s time for them to start working," Scholz said during government hearings in the Bundestag.

He noted that previous efforts to stimulate employment, introduced by the government, have not been sufficient.

Scholz revealed that he discussed this issue "in great detail" with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

"He told me that he wants to establish a Ukrainian institution in Germany and Poland to support Ukrainians in returning or finding employment in Germany, so we can work together on this initiative."

Scholz expressed hope for this idea. 

Recently, Germany has begun discussing reducing aid for refugees from Ukraine.

As of July 2024, approximately 266,000 of the 700,000 working-age Ukrainians who arrived in Germany have been employed.